Tag: Ayn Rand
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Rugged Individualists Are An American Myth
We Americans love tall tales. In a sense, our whole country IS a tall tale. It’s a story about dreams coming true. One tall tale we tell ourselves is the story of the rugged individualist. You know him – he’s the white guy with a big idea. Give him ample freedom? He’ll deliver! Who will…
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The Bondage Of Bad Ideas
What makes a character like Wylie Coyote so universally funny that he transcends time is that he epitomizes the bondage of bad ideas. Even before he sets out on his latest attempt to catch the Roadrunner (who, frankly, doesn’t look like much of a meal to begin with), the Coyote is doomed to fail. The…
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Show Me A Republican, I’ll Show You A Koch Whore
Here’s a dirty, little secret: having money doesn’t make you smarter than anyone — even if your money bought you a first class education. Harvard and Yale graduate plenty of morons — most of them white — who got in on the strength of their name and connections, got graded on a curve because of…
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There’s No Such Thing As A “Rugged Individual”
There’s a line in the movie “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” that nails it: “When legend becomes fact, print the legend”. The “rugged individual” is pure legend. Only men ever think of themselves as “rugged individuals” who believe down to their atoms that “they alone can fix it”. They’re absolutely wrong, of course —…
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Hey, Rand Paul — Thanks For Reminding Us — Libertarians Are Selfish Little Boys
In the Pantheon Of Bullshit, Libertarianism has its own vestibule. This is from the Institute For Humane Studies at George Mason University: “The libertarian perspective is that peace, prosperity, and social harmony are fostered by “as much liberty as possible” and “as little government as necessary.” Or, put another way: “You’re not the boss of…
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Show Me A Televangelist And I’ll Show You A Fraud
Sometimes you have to pick the low hanging fruit just to get it out of your face. Televangelists are, by their nature, low hanging fruit. Some televangelists however hang even lower — they’re that rotten. You thought “stinking rich” was just a saying? There’s nothing wrong with being a writer and selling your books. Even…
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WE Alone Can Fix It
The Big Lie that helped bring us the Age Of Trump flows from that wellspring of bullshit — Libertarianism. “I alone can fix it” is laughably absurd. But, as much as some of us roared the first time Donald Trump spewed those words, some in the crowd — their ears perked up. They, too, think…